Raiders’ Gabe Jackson knows there’s a payday on the horizon

Oakland Raiders’ guard Gabe Jackson and other fellow offensive guards are in line to receive new contracts

Offensive guard Trai Turner of the Carolina Panthers has already started preliminary talks about a potential contract extension, via the Charlotte Observer and Gabe Jackson’s listening and probably feeling proud of himself as his hard work’s about to pay off and he’s going to get a new contract as soon as this upcoming season.

He has come a long way from his rookie season and even though he’s not a premier guard (yet), he knows what the market is and has a feeling about how much money he can get paid after the 2017 season.

Fellow guard Justin Pugh of the New York Giants has seen what the market looks like and wants to be paid accordingly; Jackson should be no different.

“I’ve gone out there and done everything they’ve ever asked me to do. So I know my worth. I’m going to go out there and play my best season of football and hopefully, the Giants say, ‘Let’s pay him what he deserves.’ ” Pugh said, via the New York Post.

Reggie McKenzie knows too and probably has a plan as he has come forward and said that an extension for Jackson’s in the works. He also enters the season with $30 plus million in cap space, via Sportrac so he will be able to work on a suitable resolution for both the team and its rising your players.

Derek Carr’s deal will get done and whatever kind of contract he ends up getting should not affect negotiations with Jackson in any way. As pointed out previously, McKenzie has known how to maneuver through the salary cap well.

Furthermore, it’s likely that McKenzie will give Jackson a market deal; maybe not the highest one for his position, but one that compensates him well since the general manager has already paid premium and even reset the market for guards last year when he made Kelechi Osemele the highest paid guard in the league (although he has now been surpassed by Kevin Zeitler).

McKenzie has paid other team’s players and runs the risk of ostracizing players (in this case Jackson) if he were to prioritize other players over his own. He gave a blockbuster deal to Osemele and should have no qualms about giving one to Jackson.

Although Carr hasn’t signed a contract yet, he will do it and Jackson will benefit from it and be compensated accordingly.

Carlo Sanchez is a senior writer and editor for Raider Ramble. You can follow him on Twitter at @Carlos_Ramble